Exmoor Steam Railway

Locomotive Mariloo in Exbury Gardens
Exmoor Steam Railway Builder's Plate

The Exmoor Steam Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway and locomotive manufacturer, located at Bratton Fleming in North Devon.

12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) gauge

The railway was built by the Stirland family and first opened as a tourist attraction in August 1990. At this time the railway ran in a circuit from the main station at Exmoor Central, trains descending on a large embankment before climbing back up through a spiral and tunnel. In 1996 a new station was opened at Cape of Good Hope, which changed the line to an "end-to-end" layout. At the end of the 2001 season, the decision was taken to close the railway to the public and concentrate on building new steam locomotives and associated equipment. The railway remains in full working order, and work started in the winter 2008/9 on extending the railway. By mid-2010 an additional half a mile of track had been brought into use, with a very steep ascending and descending ruling gradients of 1 in 28.

1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) gauge

During the 1990s, a number of 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) gauge Beyer Garratt articulated locomotives from South Africa arrived on site and were displayed. One locomotive was sold to the Welsh Highland Railway in 2006, whilst another has been under long term restoration. Over the winter 2008/9 work started on constructing around 1/2 mile of 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in gauge railway to run the Garratts on.

Locomotives

Name Builder Type Number Built Notes
Anglo Franco Belge 2-8-2 2685 1955 S.A.R. NG15
Beyer Peacock 2-6-2+2-6-2 115 1939 S.A.R. NGG16
Hanomag 2-6-2+2-6-2T 77 1928 S.A.R. NGG13, repainted in Dark Blue livery 2010
Eddie Hunslet 4wDH 9336 1946 Now at Exbury Gardens after re-gauging to 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm)
Motor Rail 4wDM 8856 1944

Engineering works

Since the railway opened, there has been a large workshop on site, which was used to build all the locomotives and equipment used on the railway. In 2001, the decision was taken to close the railway as a tourist attraction and concentrate on the manufacture of miniature and narrow gauge railway equipment.

Exmoor Steam Railway builds several new steam locomotives a year, as well as rolling stock and also advise on the setup and expansion of miniature and narrow gauge railways. Exmoor is a member of Britain's Great Little Railways and has supplied locomotives to many other members who operate public miniature and narrow gauge railways.

Locomotives Constructed

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Identity Works Number Type Gauge Year Built Operator Status Notes Image
Cricor 0-4-2T 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 1999 Dibleys Nurseries Railway [1]
Phalaenopsis 2-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2008 Mortocombe Miniature Railway [1]
John-Remy 0-6-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 1991 Beale Railway [1]
George 0-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2010 Poole Park Railway [1]
Samastipur now named Jools 0-4-2T 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 1999 Beer Heights Light Railway Major rebuild by B.H.L.R completed in 2018 [2]
Yeo Valley 190 2-8-0T 1990 Withdrawn from service and dismantled
Excalibur 293 2-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) regauged from 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 1993 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway Formerly River Churnet[3]
SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE 295 0-6-0T 15 in (381 mm) 1993 Perrygrove Railway [4]
7 Merlin 296 2-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 1998 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway [5]
Pendragon 297 2-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) regauged from 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 1994 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway Originally Ashorne[6]
Denzil 299 0-4-2TT 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 1995 Exmoor Steam Railway [7]
MONTY 300 0-4-2T 15 in (381 mm) 1996 Evesham Vale Light Railway [4]
SANDY 301 0-6-0T 15 in (381 mm) 1996 Wotton Light Railway [4]
Dennis now named Ruby 302 0-4-2T 15 in (381 mm) 1997 (for Brocklands Adventure Park) Lappa Valley Steam Railway [7]
Jane 307 0-4-2T 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2000 Brookside Miniature Railway [8][1]
Jean 309 0-4-2T 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2000 Brookside Miniature Railway [8][1]
Billy May 310 2-4-2T 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2000 [8][1]
ST.CHRISTOPHER 311 2-6-2T 15 in (381 mm) 2001 Bressingham [4][7]
ST EGWIN 312 0-4-0TT 15 in (381 mm) 2003 Evesham Vale Light Railway [4]
Amy Louise 314 0-4-2 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2003 [8][1]
ROSEMARY 315 0-6-2T 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2001 Exbury Gardens [7]
NAOMI 316 0-6-2T 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2002 Exbury Gardens [7]
THE DUCHESS OF DIFFLIN 317 0-4-2T 15 in (381 mm) 2003 Difflin Lake railway [4]
Pulborough 319 0-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2004 South Downs Light Railway [1]
DAME ANN 320 0-4-2ST 2 ft (610 mm) 2004 Wales West Light Railway
ANNE 323 0-6-2T 15 in (381 mm) 2004 Perrygrove Railway Formerly John Hayton
8 King Arthur 324 0-6-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2005 Rudyard Lake Steam Railway [9]
Black Beauty 325 2-6-2 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2009 [7]
MARILOO 326 2-6-0 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2008 Exbury Gardens [7]
Lorna Doone 330 0-4-2T 12 1⁄4 in (311 mm) 2006 Exmoor Steam Railway [7]
Peggy 334 0-4-2T 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2007 South Downs Light Railway [1]
Jeremy 339 0-4-2T 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) 2010 Barnards Miniature Railway [8][1]
ARUN 341 0-4-2DH 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) 2015 South Downs Light Railway [10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
  2. ↑ "Samastipur". Beer Heights Light Railway. Pecorama. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "Excalibur". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6
  5. ↑ "Merlin". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  6. ↑ "Pendragon". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
  8. 1 2 3 4 5
  9. ↑ "King Arthur". Leek and Rudyard Railway Ltd. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  10. ↑ "News". South Downs Light Railway. South Downs Light Railway. Retrieved 24 August 2017.

Don.Fifer The Heywood Society Journal No.56 Spring 2005


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